Into The West
by M.C.E.Black
Summary: When the Fhurer has some devastating news for Mustang and the rest of his crew, will they be able to overcome the distance between them, in order to save one among them who is now placed in the company of individuals most foul? On hiatus.
1. The News

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Full Metal Alchemist or any of the related titles.

**A/N:** Okay, so even though I have a new story, it doesn't mean I won't be updating the others. I promise. I just needed something new to get the creative juices flowing again and ta-da, now I have so many more ideas for my other stories, and I'm really in the mood to write, so I'll be updating real soon. I also quit my job…so that'll help get me more time to write. Yaaay. Anyway, credit goes to my good friend Del (aka: batdel) for the idea…which will play out as the story continues, so this story is kinda for her. I hope y'all like it too!

**Chapter 1: The News**

"Transferred?!"

Roy Mustang shook his head violently as he stared the Fhürer down. The idea was absolutely absurd. Bradley must have been on something to think that he could possibly…possibly do something…like this!

"You heard me, Mustang…" Bradley seemed unbothered by Roy's outburst. "You're being transferred to a division out West…"

"Out WEST?" Roy looked as though he were about to pull his hair out. "You mean, I'm not even going to be staying in Central!?"

"I'm afraid not," Bradley shook his head slowly. "I thought you'd be a bit more excited about this. Consider it like a promotion…"

"But it's not a promotion, Fhürer sir!" he really shouldn't have been raising his voice, to the Fhürer of all people too, but at this point he didn't seem to care. "My title won't change once I'm out there…And my men!" he jerked his hand toward the door, outside which he knew at least Havoc was standing. "What are you going to do with them?"

Bradley folded his hands upon his desk and looked down at them calmly. "They will be assigned to new divisions as well. Each one in their own direction. I feel it will be best. You're a strong team. With the threat of the Homunculi higher than ever before, we need to spread the strength. Surely you understand, Colonel. It's nothing personal."

"Hawkeye…" Roy said shortly. "I get Hawkeye."

"Absolutely not, Mustang…" Bradley looked serious. "Being the strongest of the bunch, Hawkeye will be taking her skills to the higher ups around here."

"She'll never agree to it, sir…" Roy said matter-of-factly.

"I'm afraid she won't have a choice," Bradley continued, looking over a small file in front of him. "Lieutenant Hawkeye is bound by contract. If she chooses to defy our orders, a punishment will have to be brought upon her immediately."

"Punish her for not wanting to leave her team?" Roy was furious. There was no way he was going to leave Central without his Lieutenant at his side. The others he could possibly manage without, but Hawkeye, he needed her. More than anyone else.

Bradley sighed heavily, pretending to busy himself with the articles in the file. Roy was unsure if this was the Fhürer's way of saying he was not going to argue the case anymore, but decided to stay put, his hands firmly placed upon the edge of the Fhürer's desk, as if he was waiting for Bradley to take notice of him once again.

"I'm not budging on the subject, Mustang…" he said, not looking up at the distraught Colonel.

"I won't go…" Roy said seriously, getting angrier, and more upset by the minute. "I'll just refuse to go. What will you do to me then? I'm the Flame Alchemist; you can't just kick me out!"

Bradley looked up at him with the most cliché "You-wanna-bet" look drawn upon his face. Roy swallowed hard and backed away from the desk, finally seeing defeat draw near. He sighed and looked at the floor.

"How long do I have?" he finally asked, sounding like a man condemned.

"A week." Bradley answered shortly, looking back down at the papers he was obviously not actually reading.

"A week?" Roy's head shot up again.

"You heard me," Bradley was in no mood to continue this conversation. "Your train will be arranged along with those meeting you as you arrive." He looked up at the Colonel a final time. "Everything will be fine. I assure you."

Roy didn't smile, nor did he believe the Fhürer. How could things be fine? He was leaving everyone he possibly cared about behind, not to mention, his home! He didn't want to leave Central. Not like this.

"What about the kid, sir?" Roy found his one last lifeline. "Full Metal can't be left here on his own. Someone will have to watch over him, in case he gets into trouble. Who's going to-?"

"Mustang, if you actually watched over that boy _now_, I might have considered that plea, but seeing as you do a more than lousy job at that, I'm going to have no choice but to ignore it." Bradley sounded annoyed. "The boy will be looked after. I assure you that as well. Now, if you don't mind…" Roy had opened his mouth to speak again and the Fhürer would not hear of it. He made sure. "I have a lot of work to get to…you're excused."

Roy nodded and saluted to his Fhürer reluctantly, turning to face the door. Once outside, he continued forward, completely ignoring the pressing questions coming from his golden-haired companion.

"So what did he want, chief?" Havoc asked. "Getting a big new promotion? A new assignment?"

Roy shook his head, unable to break the news to Havoc just yet. He'd have to get the hardest one over first.

"A new office?" Havoc continued his list of possibilities. "Come on, chief, gimme a hint here. The Fhürer had to have needed you for something. Spill."

"Not now, Havoc…" Roy said bitterly. "I'll tell you later."

Havoc's smile disappeared quickly, the end of a cigarette hanging from his bottom lip. "Something bad?"

"It certainly wasn't a birthday present," Roy replied quickly, his hand resting on the door to his office. Taking a deep breath, he turned it and entered, finding his Lieutenant, as usual, at her spot behind the desk.

"That took you long enough," she said, looking up as the boys entered the room. "It doesn't usually take that long. What did the Fhürer want?"

"He won't tell you," Havoc answered before Roy even had the chance. "I've been on his ass about it since he left the office and nothing. Done everything except the puppy eyes. I'll leave that to you, Lieutenant." He winked in Riza's direction, hoping she wouldn't notice, for it would certainly earn him some kind of pain.

Luckily, Riza had risen to her feet and was now staring at her Colonel with a look of utmost curiosity. "Something wrong, sir?"

Roy shook his head. He didn't want Havoc in the room when he told her, nor did he have the nerve to ask him to leave. He wasn't sure when he'd be seeing Havoc again.

God, when did he become so damn sentimental?

"Havoc, leave us…" Riza ordered, as if she could read Roy's mind.

"What?" he yelped, staring at her with his mouth agape, the cigarette miraculously keeping its place.

"You heard me," she said bluntly, not taking her eyes off Roy. "I need to speak with the Colonel alone. If he wishes to speak with you later on, I will send for you. But for now…" she pointed to the door.

Havoc closed his mouth, looking a bit put-out. It wasn't fair that they were keeping secrets from him again.

"Ah, the curse of being a Second-Lieutenant. One never gets in on the good gossip." He cracked a small smile, realizing a moment later that it was not the time to be pulling out the jokes. Neither of them were about to smile anytime soon.

Sighing, Havoc left the room quickly, shutting the door with a snap behind him. Once she was certain the door was closed entirely, she stared back at the Colonel, this time demanding answers.

"What's going on, sir? What did the Fhürer want?"

Roy shook his head, turning toward the window, running a hand through his messy raven locks. "I…I don't know how to tell you…"

"Am I being fired, sir?" she asked, looking surprisingly calm for asking such a question.

"What?" Roy whirled around to look at her. "No! No, no, no. Quite the opposite actually…" his voice trailed off slowly.

"I'm…getting a promotion?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Then why would he call you into his office and not me?"

"I'm sure he'll be calling you in there soon," Roy said, "Though I'm not entirely sure you're going to be getting a promotion, so don't quote me on that."

"Then what is it, sir?" she asked, moving toward him. "Have you done something? Are you being punished? You can tell me, you know that…"

"I don't know if I did something wrong," he responded, suddenly looking concerned. "Maybe I am being punished. It would be the best explanation."

Riza was starting to get frustrated with their game of 20 questions. "Roy Mustang, tell me what the Fhürer told you and get it over with. If you delay it any longer, you'll never end up telling me and it'll just eat at you, and eat at you, and you'll regret not saying it now when you had the perfect opportunity to get it off your chest…"

Roy stared at her for a moment, wondering why he always found himself hanging on her every word, while ignoring much of what everyone else ever said to him. Catching himself, he shook his head and looked at the floor.

"I'm being transferred, Lieutenant…"

"What?!" Riza's reaction was much like his. "Why on earth would he want to transfer _you_? Don't they need you here?"

"Apparently not…" Roy was glad she thought the idea was ludicrous as well.

"That…That's preposterous!" Riza's face had turned bright red in less than 2.8 seconds. "They can't do that! They've already done it once, wasn't that enough for them? We can't just keep pulling up our roots and-"

"No, no, Lieutenant…" he held up a hand to stop her ranting. "There's no 'we' in this. Only me. You're not being transferred. You're staying here."

Someone on the floor above or below would have been certain a bomb had gone off in Roy's office at that very moment. Riza, level headed Riza Hawkeye, had lost it completely and was storming back and forth across the room, her pistol in hand as if she were going to shoot the next thing that moved in her path.

"So we're all being split up?" she rambled to herself, not really expecting an answer from Roy. "How do they expect all of us to agree to this? I mean, I only agreed to do this in the first 

place because I'm supposed to protect the Colonel. That's my job. Not sitting here, being the Fhürer's lapdog. I won't do it. I won't stay. They can't make me…"

Roy only hoped he hadn't looked like this in front of the Fhürer. It would look bad in regards to further promotions. The future Fhürer couldn't be acting like a teenage girl when given an order.

"Lieutenant," Roy finally spoke up. "Lieutenant calm down…"

"Calm down?" Riza stopped abruptly, almost falling over. "You're being transferred and you want me to calm down?! Why aren't you freaking out about this? Do you _want_ to go out West? Is this something you've _asked_ for?"

"Hawkeye!" Roy looked insulted. "Do you honestly think I _asked _for this? Did you not see how upset I was when I showed up earlier?"

Riza returned to full height, remembering how hard it had been for her to get the secret out of him in the first place. This couldn't possibly have been anything he had asked for. He must be being punished for something he'd done. But what?

"You're right," Riza heaved a sigh, returning her pistol to her hip. "You're right. The best thing to do at this point is to not panic. We need to act like mature adults. I know that may be difficult for you, sir, but I suggest you-"

"Lieutenant, if I were you, I wouldn't be talking right now…" he glanced down at the floor where he was certain there was erosion in the carpet from her constant pacing.

Riza looked embarrassed with herself, but kept herself composed. "Are you going to tell Havoc?" she asked, suddenly changing the subject.

"Of course I am," Roy said, taking his seat behind his desk. "I have to tell all of them. I don't want to, but I have to. Hey!" he looked up at her, a small smile creeping onto his face. "Do you think maybe _you_-"

"Not a chance, sir," she said, turning back to her own desk. "This is your own problem…"

The two fell silent as they pretended to busy themselves with other things, continuing as they would any other day, in any other situation. But the silence was smothering and the two were finding it very difficult to concentrate.

Finally, Riza lifted her head, her eyes very wide and concerned. "Sir…"

"Yeah?" he responded, not looking up from the book he was flipping through.

"…what about the boys?" she asked. "How are we going to break this to them?"

Roy snorted, flipping the next page and scanning the words on it quickly, or so it appeared. "Just tell them. It's not like they'll 

care. The kid hates me. He'll probably throw a going away party…" He added quickly, "After I'm already gone."

Riza fell silently, absently drawing her pen across a blank sheet of paper. Roy was wrong, and they both knew it. The boys were going to have a problem with this more so than anyone else.

Without them, the boys had no one. And if the Fhürer had their futures decided just like the officers, where in Amestris were they going to end up?

**A/N:** Alrighty, so, you know what to do. Tell me how ya like it in one of those funny little comment thingys. I'll promise to update this one as soon as the others are updated. And I like this story a lot…sooo…expect my other stories to be updated real fast. Thanks you guys for all your support!


	2. The Word Is Spread

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Full Metal Alchemist or any of the related titles.

**A/N:** Hey guys, here's chapter 2! In short, I hope you like it!

**Chapter 2: The Word Is Spread**

"What's this all about?" Ed asked brusquely, looking up at Riza as she closed the door behind her. He had been on his way to lunch when she captured him and his brother without warning, pulling them into the nearest room. "I'm starving. Let's make it quick."

"Brother!" Al yelped, glancing at his older brother quickly when Riza turned to glare at him.

"You do not care for what I have to tell you, Edward?" she asked.

Ed stared back at her, unable to bring himself to voice his honest opinion, although his stomach was doing a pretty good job of it on its own.

"Of course he does, Miss Riza," Al answered for him, realizing Ed wasn't about to say anything. "We're free today. You're not interrupting anything…"

Ed harrumphed loudly, but still kept his silence, secretly praying whatever it was Riza had to tell them was short and quick. Al was tempted to elbow him in the ribs, if the act wouldn't have been so overly obvious.

"I've got something important to discuss with you boys," she continued, ignoring Ed's annoyance. She leaned against the nearest desk and sighed, looking down at the floor. "Boys, I'm afraid you're going to be on your own for a little while…"

Unsure of what she meant, the boys stared back at her, expecting her to continue. It looked as though Riza was trying to gather up the courage to finish her story, which only caused Al to worry. Ed, however, hardly seemed to notice. The long list of ingredients he intended to include in his lunch was rapidly forming in his mind.

"Well boys," she finally spoke. "Colonel Mustang was called into the Führer's office this morning…"

"He being fired?" Ed asked suddenly, picking at the fraying fabric of his chair. He sounded a little to hopeful for Riza's liking.

"No," she said sternly. "No, he's not being fired, I'm sorry to disappoint you Edward. It is something a bit more serious at the moment."

"Does it have to do with the Homunculi?" Al finally spoke up, voicing his own fears.

Riza sighed. She was never going to be able to tell them if they kept interrupting her like this. "I'm not sure, Alphonse," she replied. "If it has to do with the Homunculi, the Führer failed to mention it." She took a deep breath and eyed them, waiting for another interruption. "I'm afraid we're being split up…"

"Split up?" Al's eyes shimmered as though they were getting teary,how ever he could manage such a task.

"They found out you guys were meeting secretly in the storage closets?" Ed still looked unbothered by the news. "I told you you'd need a better hiding spot. Someone was going to need a mop one of these days…"

Riza was never known to lose her temper when it came to the boys, but this was a special occasion. If Ed didn't start taking things seriously, she was going to genuinely blow a gasket.

"Edward Elric!" She hissed. "Listen to me! That has absolutely nothing to do with what I'm telling you. The Colonel is being transferred somewhere out West, and the other officers, scattered across Amestris. As far as I'm concerned, I'm to stay here close to the Führer, but what he has in store for the two of you has not be revealed. That's why I'm here…"

Al gulped loudly, glancing at Ed. If the Führer hadn't given them instructions yet, it was obvious he was waiting for the Colonel to be too far away to interfere, and in that case, if was most likely something they weren't going to enjoy.

"I agree, Alphonse," Riza said, recognizing the concerned glow of his eyes. "When the Colonel leaves, and you're given your mission, I need you to keep me involved as much as possible. If either of you witness anything strange, or learn new information regarding anything, you need to come straight to me."

"Do you think the Führer is up to something?" Ed asked, finally looking interested in what Riza was saying. "Or he knows about something we don't? Why else would he send Mustang away?"

"I'm not sure," Riza answered honestly. "But we're not going to let our new locations sever all ties with the rest of the crew, alright? We're going to keep in touch, and you're going to tell me everything, right?" She arched an eyebrow as if daring Ed to go against her word.

"Absolutely, ma'am…" Alphonse answered.

"Edward?" Riza continued to focus on the older boy.

Ed crossed his arms. "If he's sending Mustang out West, he must know that something's going to happen out there. Why can't I go out there with him? I can't handle mys-"

"Edward Elric," Riza rose to full height. "You are not to leave Central, do you hear me?"

The small boy didn't respond. He was still muttering furiously to himself, plotting whatever plan he could to get to the West without anyone noticing. Perhaps he could find a double in town and have him pose as the Full Metal Alchemist for a week or so. Then he could travel without worrying about Riza noticing.

"Don't you even dare," Riza threatened, towering over him. "For now you're to stay here. I want you to promise me that, Edward. Promise me right now."

Ed looked up at her hesitantly, but still refused to promise her anything. Nobody could make him stay there. He had no strings. He'd go wherever he wanted to and she couldn't do anything about it.

"With all of us all over the place, there's no chance we could come to your rescue if you ever got yourself into trouble," Riza explained. "And with your record, Edward, you have this nasty habit of attracting the most devious of characters. What if something happened to you? I'd never forgive myself."

_Oh, she's going to play that card…_Edward couldn't help but feel guilty. He would have to promise her, just to ease her obviously tense nerves. Even if he didn't follow through with his promise, he needed to calm her down. She was going to get physical if he stalled any longer.

"I promise," he sighed.

"Good," she nodded shortly and started back toward the door. "Now, go back to your day as if you know nothing. I do believe the Führer wished to keep this from you as long as possible. And remember your promise, Edward," she turned back to stare at him. "You're to stay out of trouble. And don't you even dare attempt to hop onto that train with the Colonel."

"Yes ma'am…" the two replied as the door shut with a snap behind her.

* * *

"They took it well?" Roy asked as Riza entered the office again.

Riza shook her head. "Speaking to that boy is like trying to keep an overly hyper puppy on a chain. And I would know…" she smiled weakly. "Black Hayate can be pretty stubborn…"

"Ha!" Roy laughed, leaning back in his chair. "Welcome to my world. Now you know how I feel when I try talking to him…"

"Who, Edward or Black Hayate?" Riza flopped down into the nearest chair.

Roy stared at her, hardly cracking a smile at her pathetic attempt at a joke. She looked exhausted and the day had hardly even started. It was obvious she was taking this harder than anyone else was, but why, he wasn't entirely sure.

"Are you okay, Hawkeye?" he finally asked.

Riza lifted her head suddenly, remembering herself. "Yes, yes of course. I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"Don't lie to me, Hawkeye," he stood and moved toward her. "What's going on? Are you worried about something?"

"Are you kidding me?" she stared at him, her forehead crinkling as her eyebrows furrowed. "Am I worried about something? Where have you been this morning, Roy?"

"Oh," Roy backed off a little. "That. You're still talking about that." He rubbed the back of his neck, trying to pretend that he hadn't been thinking about that all morning too. How could he _not_ think about something like that?

"Yes I'm still talking about that!" Riza was getting distraught again. "Sir, those boys are going to have nobody to watch over them. And you're going to be halfway across the country! And me, I'm going to be here all alone…"

"I know, I know…" he responded, leaning against his desk. "Look, Riza, we'll get through this. It's only going to be temporary, I promise."

Riza's mouth hung open for a moment before it moved enough to make words. "He…he said that? He said it's temporary?"

"Well," Roy turned to avoid her gaze. "Not…exactly…"

"Roy Mustang!" she roared.

"But!" he stopped her suddenly, raising his hand to silence her. "But, I'm going to refuse to stay over there. If they do make it permanent, then I'm going to leave altogether."

Riza fell silent. Roy smiled, finally believing he'd gotten through to her and eased some of her fears. That was, until she spoke once again, her voice still retaining the loud volume that she had before.

"But that doesn't solve the problem at all!" she cried. "You'll still be gone, and I'll be here all by myself. You know I never wanted to do this. You know I'm only here, because…because I have to…"

She stopped suddenly when Roy grabbed her arms and held her still. He stared at her for a moment, finally smirking and tilting his head to the side in a playful manner.

"Then I'm just going to have to take you with me, aren't I?" he said quietly.

Riza's eyes widened, staring back at him in shock and curiosity. What was he trying to say? Where was he going to take her? Did this mean he was -

"Sir?"

Riza whirled around suddenly, as Roy looked up to see who had spoken. Havoc stood in the doorway, looking a bit baffled by what he'd just walked in on. As Riza cleared her throat, Roy moved around her and she was allowed to move back toward the desk to pretend to busy herself with a book.

"Yes, Havoc?" he asked, sounding a tad annoyed with his friend. "And how many times have I told you to knock before entering?"

"Several, chief," he replied honestly. "But this was an emergency. I'm sorry to interrupt anything. I promise to stand guard outside the office after if you'd like a little alone time…"

Roy turned pink and hesitantly looked back at Riza, who seemed to be entirely oblivious to the conversation going on between the two men in the doorway.

"Is it true, chief?" Havoc asked. "I just heard rumor that they're splitting up the team. Is it true?"

Roy didn't answer immediately. The word was bound to get out eventually, and it was best to deal with it now rather than later. "Yes, Havoc…" he told him. "We're being split up. I'm not sure where you're being sent, but I'm going out West for a little while."

"Tell me you're not going," Havoc said. "Tell me you told him to piss off."

Roy looked back at his friend and sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, Havoc. You know the rules…an order is an order. Next Friday we all go our separate ways."

**A/N:** So, things will definitely start to get moving in the next chapter, since obviously, it will be taking place when everyone leaves. And hey, we had a little hint of Royai in this chapter, so there's only more to come. I do hope you'll all stay interested, and tell me what you think! Thank you so very much.


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